Three-alarm brush fire under control after FDNY struggles with lack of hydrants (with photos)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A three-alarm brush fire near the Goethals Bridge raged for hours Monday evening, as a lack of hydrants made it difficult for firefighters to contain the blaze, according to officials.

The fire broke out just after 7 p.m. at Western and Gulf avenues in Bloomfield, said an FDNY spokesman, drawing a large emergency response to the area that included approximately 140 firefighters.

FDNY brought the fire under control just after 11 p.m., after having some initial difficulty accessing water due to multiple "dead" hydrants in the area, according to officials on the scene.

Strong winds also made it challenging to extinguish the flames.

It's unclear why the hydrants were not operating correctly.

For a time, it appeared the fire might spread closer to the Goethals Bridge, officials said, but firefighters were able to contain it in time.

Still, traffic snarled along the Goethals as motorists slowed down to witness the huge flames coming from the brush.

A Port Authority spokesman said the fire did not disrupt any operations on the bridge.

Smoke from the brush fire could be seen in New Jersey, according to several posts on Twitter, and The National Weather Service reported that Newark Airport Doppler radar picked up a smoke plume billowing from the brush.

No buildings were located in the immediate vicinity of the brush fire, officials said.

One firefighter suffered minor injuries and was transported to Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze, the FDNY spokesman said.

Earlier in the week, forecasts warned of "conditions favorable for the rapid spread of brush fires," according to Accuweather, as increased temperatures and humidity levels increased the odds.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, according to fire officials.